33-year-old reflects on loss at Crawley Town and talks about his plans for Brisbane Road club

Danny Webb called on the Leyton Orient board to start planning for the future after another disappointing result in League Two.

The O’s slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat in the division with Crawley Town beating them 3-0.

But Webb, speaking after the game, spoke passionately about his desire to remain at the Brisbane Road club next season.

He said: “Hopefully the penny has dropped with some people that this has been coming for a very long time.

“I keep singing on my own about next season with the youngsters and I am just waiting for somebody to back me up.

“At the minute the only people who back me are the punters and the media, so at least some people are seeing what I am trying to do.

“I have played down the ‘staying up’ message because I knew with what we have got, it was always going to be hard and instead of making excuses, I have thought about the positive things we have and looked at what we can add for next season whether it is in the National League or League Two.

“At the minute the fans and everyone else connected to the club have been living day by day and they have done that for a long time and sooner or later something has to be publically announced about a plan.

“I am out of contract at the end of the season, so I am doing my best to put a plan in place, but I have no assurances myself and I feel a little bit hard done by in that sense.”

Webb spoke for just shy of 20 minutes after the game with his opening answer over three minutes long.

The 33-year-old discussed how Orient’s recruitment process for next season should have already started.

“We should all be talking about the positives of Steven Alzate’s performance and little Henry Ochieng coming on and it is hard because we have just lost 3-0,” said Webb.

“And they were three unbelievably bad goals, but I am forcing myself to look at the positives and I am waiting for somebody behind me to back me up.

“Our recruitment process should start now and we should be talking to players we are going to keep and talking to players we are going to move on.

“We should be talking to youngsters about extending contracts and whatever you say, every 14 or 15-year-old in London might turn down Chelsea as they will get in the first team at Orient aged 17 or 18.

“All these things should be publicised and it is a bit frustrating because I seem to be the only one from the club saying it and if it was my choice I would sit down with players now.

“I would tell certain ones you are not going to be here next season and also be honest with the ones who are going to be here. We would start looking at players left, right and centre.

“We don’t want to be playing in the National League, but it is not the worse thing in the world for the club because the way I am trying to do things, we will come back 10 times stronger than we have ever been.

“That is a guarantee, but I need some back up and I don’t want to be the only voice saying it all the time.”

Crawley’s three goals were all easily avoidable with Teddy Mezague badly at fault for the third.

The Orient boss added: “In terms of the results and the manner of the goals, I am very disappointed. It is Groundhog Day and Tom Parkes goes off and you have nobody of League Two standard to replace him.

“It is very difficult in that sense and Liam Kelly is trying to do 14 jobs at once and ‘Kels’ is one we should be talking about for next season.

“Will he play in the National League if we go down? Maybe or maybe not, but there needs to be some positives because fans will react to that.

“If we put a message out saying we will keep Michael Collins and Kelly for next year then it gives everyone a lift instead of the doom and gloom that has constantly been around this place.”

Webb went on to discuss the mixture of youth and experience he would like to be able to play next season.

And discusses the reason behind introducing teenager Henry Ochieng with nine minutes left at Crawley.

“I know what I want to do and I know how good things could be because this is such a good club,” said Webb.

“I am not making an exaggeration about the production line of youngsters that we have got coming through, but you can’t have 11 teenagers starting. You could maybe have three.

“You can then have three or four on the bench with a few players who we already have at the club along with some from good National League or League Two clubs.

“We then go into the summer break thinking ‘what a squad’ and excited about pre-season and that is the frustrating thing.

“I am really enjoying the job in a weird way because I am looking at things that other people haven’t before. I have put Henry on for 10 minutes knowing the game is done, but aware it will do him the world of good for next season.

“Henry could be a Kante and people will laugh at that, but I am telling you he will have a hell of a career like a lot of those boys.

“It is a shame they are on the end of drubbing after drubbing, but this has been a continuous factor for a long time.

“Even though I have given people performances of excitement, we have to accept you can’t go from a downhill slope to uphill over night.”